How We Die
by WindowChild
Summary: The end of the world, in five ways. Because nothing lasts forever.


A/N: Betaed by FireBurningBright! Thanks so much for all your help : ). It's set far in the future, as you can probably guess.

The end will come in flame. Alice saw it, and even now there's no doubting her. She whispered the image to the others: a pocket of fire, swallowing the world as simply as an aspirin. The oceans, the deserts, the mountains… entirely consumed by a pair of orange lips.

What good is immortality, when there's no earth left to stand upon?

Centuries later, and they wound up back in Forks. The town's a vestige of disaster, notion of beginnings dissipated somewhere along the way. Most of the population died years ago, from the hurricanes. From the diseases. From the brutal selection of threats that challenged the world.

Nessie worried over Jacob for a while. Strong as he was, his body wasn't built to withstand such a gust of destruction. Not all at once. Not when it killed his kind. A whole race, majestic and powerful, lost to the inevitable. Nothing lasts forever.

Somehow he survived it, though. Moments from the end, and he remains with them. But it doesn't matter. What good is survival, when it all falls away eventually?

So they stand. What else is there to do, when time's suddenly holds such weight? Minutes. Seconds. How much longer? Someone – probably Edward or Carlisle – tells Alice to stop looking for signs. It doesn't matter; they'll have to wait for it no matter how long.

They might be the only ones left. After all, the humans are long since gone. Logically though, it's right to assume they aren't alone. Someone, probably a vampire, sits somewhere. Whoever they are, they're waiting too.

Shoulder to shoulder, they stare up at the crimson sky. From far away, it looks like blood. But no one's thirsty now, not in the quenchable sense. Finally, in a sort of surrender, they pair off for a few moments.

Carlisle's hands go to Esme's shoulders, his eyes finding hers. Selflessly, they are ready. Because still, after all these years, the others will follow Carlisle's lead. If he takes this in stride, they will do their best to copy. And oh God, how he hopes his children – because that's what they _are_ – aren't too afraid. Esme looks up, trying to understand his thoughts. What does he expect from this? Slowly, with all the love in the world, he presses a kiss to her forehead. Whatever happens now, wherever they go, they've had years.

Carlisle shuts his eyes; he doesn't want his family separated. Strong as Vampires are physically, he knows they need each other. In deference to the others, though, his expression stays resigned; it's out of their control now. He and Esme hold each other, so proud of the life they've shared, and they hope as hard as they can. One way or another, they'll be okay.

Rosalie stands in Emmett's arms, both transfixed on the sky's display of peril. Occasionally, their glances will flicker, meeting somewhere along the skyline. Unlike their surrogate parents, neither is sure they'll be okay. But, also, uniquely, they are undisturbed. Rosalie is ready. After adjusting to her life, finally, she's now prepared to leave it behind. And Emmett holds onto her, wishing he didn't have to let her go. Somehow though, he is also ready. Even without a battle to fight, this end feels right to him. He straightens his muscles, and feels a grin twitching at his lips. Of course it would take an explosion to kill him. To kill them all.

Rosalie tilts her head up, and fights the urge to smile as well. It is not from joy; for all of her complaints, she truly will miss her family. There is something sacred about standing under a scarlet sky.

Jasper and Alice slide apart from the others. They stand a little in front, immersed in one another. Two pieces make a whole, but what happens when the pieces are torn apart? She knows what's coming; it's worse for her than anyone else. His hands press either side of her face, and he tries to memorize the way she feels. He thought he'd learned it years ago, but now he worries he's wasted his time. She leans her head against his chest and he hides her, wishing he could freeze this moment. For her, if not for himself as well. A part of him feels grateful, simply grateful to spend his last few moments with her. The hundreds of years don't measure up; it's these last seconds he'll carry on with him.

Nessie's frame entwined into Jacob's, though one of her hands falls out towards her parents. After everything that's happened, Jacob is spending the last minutes of his life with the Cullens. But she's with him, so of course that makes it right. It was always right.

His arms lace across her, pulling her tighter when she looks up. He's afraid if he lets go, he'll lose her when it hits. Whatever it might be. She shifts her head so her lips meet his: the last kiss of a lifetime's worth. Last, last, last. Ever since Alice saw this coming, that's all anyone's measured time in. Surrounded by the sky's light, they stay skin against skin as they wait.

Bella and Edward are furthest down the line, both pairs of eyes travelling sideways to their family. They watch the others say goodbye, tenderly drink in the final moments of their daughter's life.

And finally, they look at one another, both so afraid of this. Since they'd met, there had been no other world. With their family around them, they'd been completely content. What would it mean, to go back now? What would it mean to be without one another again?

Edward's fingers rise, making their way through the locks of Bella's hair. The ghost of a smile plays on his lips, and she returns it.

"No regrets," she whispers, sliding her arms around his waist.

A beat passes, as he stares into the distance. Eventually, he nods. "No regrets."

A/N: Review? Pretty please?


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